Manu Bhaker, D Gukesh Among Four Athletes To Get Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award: Sports Ministry

NEW DELHI: The Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports has announced the winners of the National Sports Awards 2024, who have made exemplary contributions in various sports disciplines. The function will be held at Rashtrapati Bhavan on January 17, 2025, at 11:00 AM. The President of India will be presenting the honors.

Gukesh D will be awarded the prestigious Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award for chess, while Harmanpreet Singh will be given the same award for hockey, Praveen Kumar for para-athletics, and Manu Bhaker for shooting.

The Arjuna Awards will be conferred to sports persons for consistency and leadership. It includes Jyothi Yarraji and Annu Rani in athletics, Nitu and Saweety for boxing, Vantika Agrawal for chess, besides multiple hockey players like Salima Tete and Jarmanpreet Singh.

Several para-athletes, including Rakesh Kumar for para-archery, Preeti Pal, Ajeet Singh, and Sachin Sarjerao Khilari for para-athletics, and Nitesh Kumar and Manisha Ramadass for para-badminton, will also receive the Arjuna Award. Lifetime achievement awards will honor Sucha Singh for athletics and Murlikant Rajaram Petkar for para-swimming. 

Coaches will receive the Dronacharya Award. Subhash Rana will get it for para-shooting and Deepali Deshpande will receive it for shooting. The Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puraskar will go to the Physical Education Foundation of India.

Chandigarh University will bag MAKA Trophy for the best performance in the Khelo India University Games along with two other universities.

The awards celebrate excellence and dedication, motivating individuals and institutions to elevate Indian sports to greater heights.

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